the red acorn-第55章

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lonel　here；　when　they　dashed　away。〃

〃Come；〃　he　said；　after　making　some　temporary　provisions　for　the　comfort　of　his　wounded。　　〃You　must　get　away　from　here　as　quickly　as　possible。　　I　fear　the　army　is　badly　defeated；　and　it　may　be　a　rout　soon。　　You　must　get　away　before　the　rush　begins；　for　then　it　will　be　terrible。〃

He　took　her　over　the　pike；　and　across　it　to　where　some　wagons　were　standing。　　As　he　was　about　to　put　Rachel　in　one　of　these　their　attention　was　arrested　by　an　officer；　apparently　acting　as　Provost　Marshal；　dragging　from　behind　a　huge　rock　a　Lieutenant　who　was　skulking　there。　　They　were　too　far　away　to　hear　what　was　said；　but　not　so　far　that　they　could　not　recognize　the　skulker　as　Lieutenant　Jacob　Alspaugh。　　The　Provost　Marshal　apparently　demanded　the　skulker's　name；　and　wrote　it　in　a　book。　　Alspaugh　seemed　to　give　the　information；　and　accompanied　it　with　a　lugubrious　pointint　to　a　bandage　around　his　knee。　　The　Provost　Marshal　stooped　and　took　the　handkerchief　off；　to　find　that　not　even　the　cloth　of　the　pantaloons　had　been　injured。　　He　contemptuously　tore　the　straps　from　Alspaugh's　shoulders；　and　left　him。

〃The　rascal's　cowardice　is　like　the　mercy　of　God；〃　said　Denslow；　〃for　it　endureth　forever。〃

He　put　Rachel　in　the　wagon；　and　ordered　the　driver　to　start　at　once　for　Nashville　with　her。　　She　pressed　his　hand；　as　they　separated　with　fatigue　and　grief。

How　had　it　been　faring　all　this　time　with　Harry　Glen　and　those　with　him？

The　fierce　wave　had　dashed　against　the　regiment　early　in　the　morning；　and　although　the　first　fire　received　from　the　Rebels　made　gaps　in　the　ranks　where　fifty　men　fell；　it　did　not　recoil　a　step；　but　drove　its　assailants　back　with　such　slaughter　that　their　dead；　lying　in　the　open　ground　over　which　they　crossed；　were　grimly　compared　by　Abe　Bolton　to　〃punkins　layin'　in　a　field　where　the　corn's　been　cut　off。〃

Then　the　fight　settled　into　a　murderous　musketry　duel　across　the　field；　in　which　the　ranks　on　both　sides　melted　away　like　frost　in　the　sun。　　In　a　few　minutes　all　the　field　officers　were　down；　and　the　only　Captain　that　remained　untouched　took　command　of　the　regiment；　shouting　to　Harry　Glen　at　the　same　moment　to　take　command　of　the　two　companies　on　the　right；　whose　Captains；　and　Lietenants　had　fallen。　　Two　guns　escaping　from　the　crush　at　the　extreme　right；　had　galloped　down；　and　opened　gallantly　to　assist　the　regiment。　Almost　instantly　horses　and　men　went　down　under　the　storm　of　bullets。　An　Aide　broke　through　the　cedars　behind。

〃Fall　backfall　back；　for　God's　sake！〃　he　shouted。　　〃The　Rebels　have　got　around　the　right；　and　will　cut　you　off。〃

〃Fall　back；　boys；〃　shouted　the　Captain　in　command；　〃but　keep　together；　listen　to　orders；　and　load　as　you　go。〃　　The　same　instant　he　fell　with　a　ball　through　his　chest。

〃Sergeant　Glen；　you're　in　command　of　the　regiment；　now；〃　shouted　a　dozen　voices。

The　Lieutenant　of　the　batterya　mere　boyran　up　to　Harry。　　A　stream　of　blood　on　his　jacket　matched　its　crimson　trimmings。

〃Don't　go　off　and　leave　my　guns；　after　I've　helped　you。　　Do　not；　for　the　love　of　Heaven！　　I've　saved　them　so　far。　　Bring　them　off　with　you。〃

Harry　looked　inquiringly　around　upon　the　less　than　one　hundred　survivors；　who　gathered　about　him；　and　had　heard　the　passionate　appeal。　　Every　face　was　set　with　mortal　desperation。　　An　Irish　boy　on　the　left　was　kissing　a　cross　which　he　had　drawn　from　his　bosom。

The　tears　which　strong　men　shed　in　wild　fits　of　rage　were　rolling　down　the　cheeks　of　Edwards；　Bolton；　and　others。

〃I　don't　want　to　live　always！〃　shouted　Kent　with　an　oath；　〃let's　take　the　…　guns！〃

〃I　don't　want　no　better　place　to　die　than　right　here！〃　echoed　Abe；　still　more　savagely　profane。　　〃Le's　have　the　guns；　or　sink　into　hell　getting　'em！〃

The　remnant　of　the　Rebel　regiment　had　broken　cover　and　rushed　for　the　guns。

〃Attention！〃　shouted　Harry。　　〃Fix　bayonets！〃

The　sharp　steel　clashed　on　the　muzzles。

〃FORWARD；　CHARGE！〃

For　one　wild　minute　shining　steel　at　arm's　length　did　its　awful　work。　　Then　three…score　Rebels　fled　back　to　their　leafy　lair；　and　as　many　blue…coats　with　drew　into　the　cedars；　pulling　the　guns　after　them。

〃Pick　up　the　Lieutenant；　there；　some　of　you　who　can　do　a　little　lifting；〃　said　Kent；　as　they　came　to　where　the　boy…artillerist　lay　dead。　　〃This　prod　in　my　shoulder's　spoilt　my　lifting　for　some　time。　　Lay　him　on　the　gun　and　we'll　take　himj　back　with　us。　　He　deserves　it；　for　he　was　game　clear　through。　　Harry；　that　fellow　that　gave　you　that　beauty…mark　on　the　temple　with　his　saber　got　his　discharge　from　the　Rebel　army　just　afterwards；　on　the　point　of　Abe's　bayonet。〃

〃Is　that　so？　　Did　Abe　get　struck　at　all？〃

〃Only　a　whack　over　the　nose　with　the　butt　of　a　gun；　which　will　doubtless　improve　his　looks。　　Any　change　would。〃

〃Guess　we　can　go　back　now　with　some　peace　and　comfort；〃　said　Abe；　coming　up；　and　alluding　to　the　cessation　of　the　firing　in　their　front。　　〃That　last　round　took　all　the　fight　out　of　them　hell…hounds　across　the　field。〃

〃Some　of　you　had　better　go　over　to　the　camp　there　and　get　our　axes。　We'll　have　to　cut　a　road　through　the　cedars　if　we　take　these　guns　off；〃　said　Harry；　tieing　a　handkershief　around　the　gaping　saber　wound　in　his　temple。　　〃The　rest　of　you　get　around　to　the　right；　and　keep　a　sharp　look　out　for　the　flank。〃

So　they　worked　their　way　back；　and　a　little　after　noon　came　to　the　open　fields　by　the　pike。

…

As　the　wagon　rolled　slowly　down　the　pike　toward　Nashville　Rachel；　in　spite　of　anxiety；　fell　asleep。　　Some　hours　later　she　was　awakened　by　the　driver　shaking　her　rudely。

〃Wake　up！〃　he　shouted；　〃ef　ye　value　yer　life！〃

〃Where　are　we？〃　she　asked；　rubbing　her　eyes。

〃At　Stewart's　Creek；〃　answered　the　driver；　〃an'　all　o'　Wheeler's　cavalry　are　out　thar'　in　them　woods。〃

She　looked　out。　　She　could　see　some　miles　ahead　of　her；　and　as　far　as　she　could　see　the　road　was　filled　with　wagons　moving　toward　Nashville。　　A　sharp　spurt　of　firing　on　the　left　attracted　her　attention；　and　she　saw　a　long　wave　of　horsemen　ride　out　of　the　woods；　and　charge　the　wagon…guards；　who　made　a　sharp　resistence；　but　at　length　fled　before　overwhelming　numbers。　　The　teamsters；　at　the　first　sight　of　the　formidable　line；　began　cutting　their　wheel…mules　loose；　and　escaping　upon　them。　　Rachel's　teamster　followed　their　example。

〃The　off…mule's　unhitcht；　jump　on　him；　an'　skip；〃　he　shouted　to　her　as　he　vanished　up　the　pike。

The　Rebels　were　shooting　down　the　mules　and　such　teamsters　as　remained。　　Some　dismounted；　and　with　the　axes　each　wagon　carried；　chopped　the　spokes　until　the　wagon　fell；　while　others　ran　along　and　started　fires　in　each。　　In　a　little　while　five　hundred　wagons　loaded　with　rations；　clothing；　amunition　and　stores　were　blazing　furiously。　　Their　work　done；　the　cavalry　rode　off　toward　Nashville　in　search　of　other　trains。

Rachel　leaped　from　the　wagon；　before　the　Rebels　approached；　and　took　refuge　behind　a　large　tree；　whence　she　saw　her　wagon　share　the　fate　of　the　rest。　　When　the　cavalry　disappeared；　she　came　out　again　into　the　road　and　walked　slowly　up　it；　debating　what　she　could　do。　　She　was　rejoiced　to　meet　her　teamster　returning。　　He　had　viewed　the　occurence　from　a　prudent　distance；　and　being　kindly…natured　had　decided　to　return　to　her　help；　as　soon　as　it　could　be　done　without　risk。

He　told　her　that　there　was　a　wagon　up　the　pike　a　little　ways　with　a　woman　in　it；　to　which　he　would　conduct　her；　and　they　would　go　back　to　the　army　in　front　of　Murfreesboro。

〃It　seems　a　case　of　'twixt　the　devil　and　the　deep　sea；〃　he　said；　despairingly。　　〃At　any　rate　we　can't　stay　out　here；　and　my　experience　is　that　it　is　always　safest　where　there　is　the　biggest　crowd。〃

They　found　the　wagon　with　the　woman　in　it。　　Its　driver　had　bolted　irrevocably；　so　Rachel's　friend　assumed　the　reins。　　It　was　slow　work　making　their　way　back　through　the　confused　mass；　but　Rachel　was　lucky　enough　to　sleep　through　most　of　it。　　When　she　awoke　the　next　morning　the　wagon　was　still　on　the　pike；　but　in　the　center　of　the　army；　which　filled　all　the　open　space　round…about。

Everywhere　were　evidences　of　the　terrible　work　of　the　day　before；　and　of　preparations　for　renewing　it。　　The　soldiers；　utterly　exhausted　by　the　previous　days'　frightful　strain；　lay　around